


Impatient Pentaghast

by purpleinkblot



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-06
Updated: 2015-10-06
Packaged: 2018-04-25 02:37:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4943443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/purpleinkblot/pseuds/purpleinkblot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cassandra catches Varric working on his book and can't help but ask for a sneak peak.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Impatient Pentaghast

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lunarch](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lunarch/gifts).



> Sorry that I didn't go into much depth with this one. I'm not too familiar with the DA world. This was for a friend of mine.

Patience was a strong attribute to have. It made good warriors, kept you from getting yourself killed from lunging before the call. Every good fighter was taught to wait and find a sense of peace in the thick of danger. It’s what won wars. But this was not a war. No lives hung in the balance, and the only thing teetering on the edge of defeat was her burning curiosity.

"Can't you just show me a little bit? Is there no part of it that wouldn't give it all away?" The Seeker asked to the person across the room, standing on her toes as if she could see over his shoulder from there.

"No there isn't, actually."

"I find that hard to believe."

Varric sat with his back to her at his desk, quill in hand and in the midst of writer's block until a knock on his door snapped him out of his thoughts. Cassandra had delivered a parcel on her way back to her own room upon Josephine’s request. As she entered -after Varric made an exaggerated statement on how surprising her visit was, and she in turn rolling her eyes- he waved her over, gesturing to plop the package onto his desk. When she did, her eyes grazed over the paper he was writing on. Her expression brightened as she let out an excited gasp.

"You're working on the book!"

"Dammit Seeker," he said, splaying his hands over the text, not that there was much to cover "Ever heard of something called privacy?"

"It's not private if it's going in the book. I want to see."

"Oh no. I don't just give out spoilers to anyone who asks."

The surprise of Cassandra being a fan of his works had dulled but not completely faded. She never got this excited about anything, and wasn't what you'd call "giddy". Anyone who saw her in this state however would think otherwise. The hopeful expression that formed crinkles near her eyes and made her smile in a way that you could actually _see her teeth_ was something that needed to be seen to be believed.

It was a wonder how someone like her could enjoy such a “tasteless” series to begin with. She was so serious and sharp-edged and stiff-jawed, and his romance novels were anything but. They were _indulgent_ , sometimes purposefully waning reality to get the characters where and how he wanted them. When asked about the more epic serious he had written, her expression turned almost exasperated. Her life was battles and carnage everyday, she had shrugged, and she didn't want to wind down just to immerse in it more through reading. He had started putting the pieces together then. The hero was a valiant woman fighting for a noble cause that deep down inside wanted to melt away from it all in the arms of someone who cared. Varric had heard the wistful sighs she'd let out whilst reading. Her eyes softened and her mouth curved into a lazy smile. Perhaps she could relate.

Which would make sense considering that even though she had backed away from his desk, she hadn't left.

"You really can't tell me anything?"

"Seeker if I told you what I was writing then it won't be the same when it's done. You'll ruin it for yourself."

Cassandra paused for a moment to think on his words. It’s true that hearing anything now could deflate the whole experience; but it was also true that she could be _dead_ before he got it done. And hell, who knows when that’ll be? She convinced herself to trust that he wouldn’t reveal anything important, even he wouldn’t like that.

“Varric I know you wouldn’t do something so stupid. But…I think you’re right, anyway. Forget I even-”

"All right Seeker, you twisted my arm." He said, turning in his chair with the paper in hand and a smirk on his face. It actually didn't have anything close in the way of spoilers on it- in fact he didn't even know if he was going to scrap this portion or not. But the teasing smile on his face didn't disappear as he held it up to the candlelight. And he had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing at her startled expression.

" _The sunset washed the room over in orange like a sweeping fire_..."

"Wait! I've changed my mind! I don't want to hear it!"

"Hey,” he said shrugging “You're the one that wanted this so badly. _The woman dug through the drawers, stumbling upon a worn box that_ -"

"Varric!"

" _Bound in engraved leather and locked tight like the regrets of man who wishes never to reveal his other face again_ -”

Her hands flew to her ears in protest, his voice reading louder to be heard over her yelling.

" _A familiar, warm feeling on her skin. Like the hands of_ -"

"Varric you are such a- ugh!" Cassandra huffed as she threw open the door and bounded for her own room, hearing his laughter bounce off the walls. She half expected him to follow her down the hallway.

 

Cassandra put all thoughts of the story in the back of her mind, knowing it was better to be focusing on more important affairs. It was almost a month later when the dwarf came strolling over to her with something under his arm. She nearly stopped her conversation with the Inquisitor dead in its tracks, an impulsive nerve almost making her shove the other to the side. The Inquisitor chuckled under breath. Cassandra’s secret obsession was secret to no one by this point. And it was more than entertaining to watch her nearly squeal about it. No one else really read them, so they wouldn’t know how awful and shameful and glorious they were, which made her less anxious about reading them outside the privacy of her room.

“Oh finally. I was worried you had given up on it.” The book was cradled in her hands as she absorbed the art on the front cover. Varric shrugged sarcastically.

“Well I almost did, but I couldn’t bare seeing you cry about it.”

“Shut up, I wouldn’t cry.” Her face was as solid as ever, but her voice wavered. The inquisitor’s cheeks puffed up as she suppressed a laugh.

“Anyway, I…thank you.” She said finally, a genuine smile spreading across her face.

“You know me, Seeker. I’m a people pleaser.” He said, turning and making his way out the door. He didn’t miss the glance the herald made towards her, still holding herself back from making a comment.

“Varric knows how to grate on the nerves,” Cassandra mumbled “but he does come through sometimes.”

“Is that a new one?” the Inquisitor finally asked, peeking over to look at the cover.

“Yes, this is the third one of this series. Why? Are you interested?” the herald raised an eyebrow at her eagerness, surprised that she’d want to share.

“I don’t know. Are they any good?” she replied, not expecting her to actually answer the way she did. Cassandra’s hand grasped onto her upper arm.

“You could borrow my copies, but I expect them returned in the condition I gave them.”

“I’m not that much into reading, usually-”

“Trust me,” the light in her eyes shown through again as she backed up “wait here, I’ll go get them. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.”

Before another word could get out she was making her way back into Skyhold, a near skip in her step. The Inquisitor stood dumbstruck for a moment, before chuckling and making a mental note to clear her schedule for a little while.


End file.
